


not your new year’s girl (but we can make believe)

by letthesongtakeflight



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Minor Bruce Banner/Thor, Minor Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson, Natasha Romanov & Tony Stark Friendship, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, New Year's Eve, Past Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 08:22:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28632429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/letthesongtakeflight/pseuds/letthesongtakeflight
Summary: Tony asks Natasha to be his fake girlfriend at the New Year's Eve party. She agrees – for a favour.
Relationships: Happy Hogan/Pepper Potts, Natasha Romanov/Tony Stark
Comments: 8
Kudos: 63





	not your new year’s girl (but we can make believe)

**Author's Note:**

> For my anon on tumblr who asked for a Tonynat fake dating AU. 
> 
> Fake dating is one of my favourite fanfic tropes and I'm more than happy to deliver :)

Tony had always like New Years. They were a chance to try again where he had failed, to do better, to fail better, and in new ways. Maybe that was why he finally got the spurt of energy he needed to pack.

It took all afternoon, but there it was – nine years of his life packed away. 

All the evidence of a life shared – prom photos, college graduation photos, memorabilia from trips taken together, the stuffed bunny he won for her at a fair when they were eighteen – packed into a single box. The final traces of Pepper removed at last, months after she moved out.

Along into that box went all the photos of Happy.

Tony would be lying if he said it didn't feel like a betrayal. They’d gone to high school together, he and Pepper and Happy and Rhodey, and it wasn’t Happy's place to swoop in and start dating Pepper as soon as Tony was out of the picture.

The apartment felt empty, but now, unlike those dreary days when Pepper first left, it also echoed with something that wasn't there before. A future to be written.

Maybe it was the year drawing to a close that got him feeling this way. Wanting a fresh start. 

And it felt good – except for one thing that prickled at his side.

The New Years’s Eve party.

\-------------

Natasha closed her book with a snap. “You want me to _what_?”

“Be my fake girlfriend,” Tony repeated. “Only for one evening. And you’ll be going to Steve and Sam’s party anyway, right?”

“Yeah, but – why, exactly?” Natasha raised one perfect eyebrow.

"Pepper will be there,” Tony explained. “And she’ll be with her new boyfriend” – he refused to say Happy’s name “– and I only just managed to put away the stuff she gave me.” Desperation tinged his voice, as well as the shadows under his eyes and the dishevelled hair. “I can’t turn up to this New Year’s Eve party solo, that would just be sad.”

Natasha slid her book away and leaned her elbows on the table, leaning closer to Tony. “So you want me to fake date you at the party and, what exactly – make Pepper jealous?” A little crinkle appeared in her forehead. “You want to get her back?”

“No no no no,” Tony corrected quickly. “Just to prove that I’ve moved on too and I’m not still pining after her."

“Are you?" Nat asked. “Pining?”

“... No?”

She smirked, showing that she was wholly unconvinced. She always could see past his bullshit. “Why me? Why not, I dunno, Bruce?”

“Going with Thor, obviously.”

“Cute." She flashed a quick smile. “Bucky?” 

“Still in Chicago for the holidays.”

“... Rhodey?” 

“Pepper knows him, it’ll be hard to keep up the charade for long.” Tony said.

“Fair,” Natasha conceded with a tilt of her head. “Clint?”

Tony snorted. “I’d much rather hang out with you, Romanoff. I have taste.”

She snorted at the disdain as he talked about her roommate. “So what’s in it for me?” 

“What do you mean?” Tony said, affronted, scrunching up his nose.

“What do I get out of helping you?”

“What –” Tony made a face of mock disbelief and put a hand on his chest. “You mean aside from helping a dear friend?”

She rolled her eyes, secretly glad that he was more himself than she had seen in a long time. “Fine. Only because I like you.”

Tony let out a breath of relief. “Thanks, Nat.”

“You’re welcome. But you owe me one, Stark.”

\-------------

Tony picked up Natasha at her place at half past eight, and they arrived at Steve and Sam’s apartment, above the bakery that they ran together, three hours before midnight. 

Most of the others were already there. Clint was arm-wrestling Sharon while Rhodey refereed. Thor and Bruce were on an armchair, with Bruce perched on Thor’s lap and playing with his hair. And of course Pepper was there – gorgeous in a form-fitting dress that showed off her long legs, a glass in her hands, in a corner with Happy, leaning into each other’s personal space without quite touching.

Her head snapped around as Tony came in with Natasha’s hand in his, her mouth falling open to a lovely O.

Tony held her gaze for a moment – almost a boast in his eyes – before he helped Natasha slide her coat off her shoulders. She was wearing a shimmering dark red top under it, tucked into skinny black pants. As he turned to hang up their coats he met Pepper’s eyes. She averted her gaze immediately.

“If you keep looking at your ex when you think I don’t notice, I’m gonna ditch you for the rest of the night,” Natasha muttered out of the corner of her mouth. There was a steely look behind her green eyes that let Tony know she was serious.

“What? I wasn’t stealing glances,” Tony said.

“Sure you weren’t,” Natasha replied smoothly, her coy smirk showing that she didn’t believe it.

Steve appeared from the kitchen. “Hey! Glad you guys could make it,” he said, hugging Natasha first and then Tony.

“Where else would we go for New Year’s Eve?” Tony returned.

“Or for you guys’ amazing baked treats?” Natasha joined in.

Right on cue, Sam came out from the kitchen, carrying a tray full of white and gold cupcakes. “Special New Year’s cupcakes!” he announced. 

Like pigeons flocking to food, everyone immediately crowded around the kitchen table.

“These look amazing!” Clint said, grabbing one.

“No offence, Sam, but that glitter looks suspicious to me.” Rhodey, ever the skeptic, sniffed at the cupcake.

“It’s all edible glitter," Sam reassured him, passing two to Thor and Bruce. “This is a new recipe we’re trying out next year.”

"Sam’s got so many new ideas for the bakery,” Steve said, his voice filled with pride for his boyfriend. “You’ve got to try this new bread he’s making…”

Tony reached for a cupcake – and Happy went for the same one. A surge of hostility rose in Tony at his old friend, but he forced himself to be mature and gave him a curt nod. Happy returned the gesture. Both men took two cupcakes, the one they originally wanted left behind, and returned to their dates.

“Little standoff there,” Natasha commented in an undertone as Tony passed her a cupcake.

Tony forced himself to look at Natasha instead of glancing at Pepper and Happy out of the corner of his eye. “I knew I’d see him here,” he said. Focusing on Natasha, on the green eyes that always saw right through him. “We all have the same friends, so might as well be the bigger person.”

“He was your friend, first, though.” There was sympathy in Natasha’s face.

“And he had a crush on her first, and I asked her out anyway,” Tony said. “All is fair in love and war. Pepper and I were over by the time they got together, and if she’s happy with him, that’s fine by me.” He let out a breath as he said it, hearing the truth – and the release – in his own words.

Natasha nodded thoughtfully, something like respect in her eyes as she licked the cream off her cupcake.

“What?” Tony said.

She tilted her head the the side, questioning.

“Why’re you looking at me like that?”

“No reason,” she said, her thoughtful grin widening. 

Tony narrowed his eyes, unconvinced. “Fine, keep your secrets.”

She gave him a playful nudge and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders to pull her close. They had always been touchy-feely with each other, and it felt right.

“Aww, you guys are cute.” Thor grinned at them.

“Not as cute as you two,” Natasha shot back at him and Bruce.

The scientist raised his cupcake at her in acknowledgement. “It’s a close one.”

“We didn’t know you guys were dating,” Sharon said.

“Yeah, how long have you guys been together?" Clint asked. That prompted a few surprised looks – Clint was Natasha’s best friend and her roommate, and it was commonly believed – mistakenly – that there were no secrets between them. 

“Not very long,” Natasha replied.

“We were keeping it on the down-low,” Tony added.

“Just trying it out,” Natasha said with a shrug. “I mean, we’ve been friends for a long time and we figured, you know, why not see where it goes?”

“And so far?” Tony glanced at Natasha and laced their fingers together. They shared a little smile. “It’s been pretty sweet.”

“How’d it start?” Steve pressed.

Tony was suddenly at a loss – he hadn’t prepared for the drilling, though he probably should’ve seen it coming, especially from Steve.

But Natasha answered, effortless. “We were hanging out one day, just the two of us, and Tony asked me out, I agreed, and here we are.”

Tony recovered enough to add, “Took some convincing.”

“Well, you were very persuasive.” Natasha tilted her head up to face him and gave a mischievous smile.

The others let out “awww”s at that.

As Natasha cuddled up to him, Tony whispered, “You can stop looking at me like a cat that got the canary now, Romanoff. It’s freaking me out.”

“Shh, it’s the look of love,” she ribbed back. 

“Aww, do you love me?” he teased.

She scrunched up her nose. “Don’t make me say it.”

“Haha, fine, but only because I like you.”

“By the way,” Natasha lowered her voice, “Have you thought about what we’re going to do at midnight?” Her brow wrinkled slightly. “Everyone will be expecting us to kiss and –”

“– And you don’t want to kiss me,” Tony finished for her.

“I like you, but not that much. No offence.”

“Don’t worry.” Tony squeezed her hand reassuringly and gave her a warm smile. “We’ll get out of here before then.”

\-------------

Ten minutes before midnight, when everyone was gathered around the TV watching fireworks and the countdown, Tony grabbed Natasha’s hand and they made a stealthy escape out the door and up the stairs to the rooftop.

They were the only ones there, everyone else in the building presumably watching the countdown to the new year. Snowflakes fluttered down, the last of the year.

They both gave a sigh of relief, leaning against the short wall, looking at each other and over the streets below. Taking a minute to catch their breaths. They hadn’t realised how warm it was in the apartment until they were out here.

Natasha broke the silence. “That went pretty well.”

A grin crept over Tony’s face. “Yeah, I think so, too,” he agreed. “Thanks for agreeing to do this.”

“Anytime,” Natasha said. “I had fun.” Her smile turned a bit devious. “Certainly more fun than I would have if we both turned up solo and I had to watch your sorry single ass mope around.”

“I’m not that bad!” Tony protested.

She laughed, the sound sudden and joyous in the cold. “You’re here with a date and you still couldn’t resist looking at your ex! But no,” she conceded with a half-smile. “I guess you’re not that bad.” She admitted, “I’m proud of you – for letting go with grace. I know it isn’t easy.”

“Thanks.” He gave a rueful smile. “But I don’t want to end this year talking about my ex. You’re good.” He changed the subject abruptly, the way he was known to, with his mind bouncing all over the place. “You kept up the act so well. You didn’t slip up, not once. You should be like a spy or something.”

Natasha laughed again, and in that moment Tony wanted nothing more than that – to make her laugh, easy and carefree. As her laughter fell short, cheers of “Happy New Year!” erupted from the streets below them.

Tony’s face lit up. “Happy New Year.” He said it with such casualness, as though he were commenting on the weather.

“Happy New Year,” Natasha returned, smiling warmly, her nose pink with cold. Snowflakes drifted onto them and rested on Natasha’s hair, on Tony’s eyelashes. The first of the year.

“Bet you didn’t think you’d be spending New Year’s alone with me on a cold rooftop.”

“No,” Tony agreed. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He wrapped his arms around Natasha and felt hers go around him. “Let’s do this again next year.”

“Sure, this way I’ll rack up so many favours with you,” Natasha replied.

“No worries, I’ll pay up,” Tony said. “A Stark always pays his debts. That is _not_ how the saying goes."

She giggled at that. “Good, cause I’d like to claim one now.”

Tony looked down at her, expectant. At those soft lips, half expecting her to ask for a kiss. One he was more than willing to give her.

“Take me out for dinner.”

He smiled, half disappointed, but more relieved, and promised, “It’s a date.”

Maybe it was the New Year spirit, but he could feel a new beginning just around the corner.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed that, and if you did please leave a comment and let me know!


End file.
